The present invention relates to novel 3-furyl alkyl disulfides.
Artificial flavoring agents for foodstuffs have received increasing attention in recent years. In many areas, such food flavoring agents are preferred over natural flavoring agents at least in part because of the uniform flavor that may be so obtained. For example, natural food flavoring agents such as extracts, essences, concentrates and the like are often subject to wide variation due to changes in the quality, type and treatment of the raw materials. Such variation can be reflected in the end product and results in unreliable flavor characteristics and uncertainty as to consumer acceptance and cost. Additionally, the presence of the natural product in the ultimate food may be undesirable because of increased tendency to spoil. This is particularly troublesome in convenience and snack food usage where such products as dips, soups, chips, prepared dinners, canned foods, sauces, gravies and the like are apt to be stored by the consumer for some time prior to use.
The fundamental problem in preparing artificial flavoring agents is that of achieving as nearly as possible a true flavor reproduction. This generally proves to be a difficult task since the mechanism for flavor development in many foods is not understood. This is notable in products having meaty and roasted flavor characteristics.
Reproduction of sweet meat, roasted meat, liver flavors and aromas and hydrolyzed vegetable protein like flavors and aromas has been the subject of the long and continuing search by those engaged in the production of foodstuffs, e.g., luncheon meats such as liverwurst sausages. The severe shortage of foods, especially protein foods, in many parts of the world has given rise to the need for utilizing non-meat sources of proteins and making such proteins as palatable and as meat-like as possible. Hence, materials which will closely simulate or exactly reproduce the flavor and aroma of roasted meat products (e.g., "roast beef-like") and liver products are required.
Moreover, there are a great many meat containing or meat based foods presently distributed in a preserved form. Examples being condensed soups, dry-soup mixes, dry meat, freeze-dried or lyophilized meats, packaged gravies and the like. While these products contain meat or meat extracts, the fragrance, taste and other organoleptic factors are very often impaired by the processing operation and it is desirable to supplement or enhance the flavors of these preserved foods with versatile materials which have sweet, meat, roasted meat and/or liver taste and aroma nuances.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,666,495 has to do with certain furan derivatives having desirable meat, roast meat and roasted fragrance and flavor notes. Among the furan derivatives disclosed in said patent are methyl(2-methyl-3-furyl) trisulfide obtained by the reaction of 2-methyl-3-furan thiol with methyl disulfur chloride at a temperature of from -60.degree. to 0.degree. C, and methyl(2-methyl-3-furyl) disulfide obtained by reacting 2-methyl-3-furan thiol with methane sulfenyl chloride.
None of the 3-furyl alkyl disulfides of the instant invention is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,666,495.